York Out of the Closet: 50 Years of LGBT History

5 June – 5 November 2017

York Castle Museum’s 1960s pub was transformed into an LGBT bar brimming with tales of love, struggle and pride in the exhibition York Out of the Closet: 50 Years of LGBT History. Visitors were able to discover the stories of York’s first ever lesbian and gay protest march, the festival that brought two thousand lesbians to York racecourse, and many more.

2017 marked 50 years since the partial decriminalisation of sex between men in England and Wales. York Castle Museum was the only museum in York to join hundreds of organisations throughout the UK in commemorating this anniversary. The exhibition was curated by a team of volunteers, including representatives of three York charities: York LGBT History Month, York Pride, and York LGBT Forum.